The Arch
by Rocky Cloud11
Summary: A girl has to walk through an arch!
1. The first arch!

I was finally there. I have worked so hard. I was about to enter the first arch. I have never been so nervous in my life, but I have to do it. I have to become an Aes Sedai!  
"The first is for what was. The way will come but once. Be steadfast."  
I slowly stepped through the arch. Light surrounded me and then.  
"Allison! Wake up!" I heard my mom say.  
I was in my old house. I got up and went downstairs. My dad was sitting down at the table with my brother. My brother!  
"Oh, Delaney! How are you? It is so great to see you! Have I ever told you how much I love you? Oh, you're alive!' I exclaimed.  
"What in the world are you talking about Allison? I am not dead you know" he said  
"Oh yea."  
My mom was cooking breakfast. I missed the farm. I missed working on it from day break to sun down.  
"Allison, get moving! You don't want to be late! Go, get moving!"  
She pushed me through the door. Where was I supposed to be going? Where am I? This is not the farm! I turned around and the house was not there, instead I was in front of my brother's foundry. I went inside. I could hear him working downstairs. The banging stopped. I heard steps go up or down the stairs, I couldn't tell. I waited so I decided to go downstairs. I was downstairs and a figure in black had my brother cornered.  
"Hey! What are you doing?" I screamed  
It turned toward me and I screamed, it had no eyes with a pale face. I heard of these before.  
" Allison.help me.Allison." he begged.  
Suddenly there was a golden arch. The way will come but once be steadfast.  
The thing suddenly started attacking my brother. I couldn't leave him now! I have to help him! I have learned about these! I know I can help him!  
The way will come but once be steadfast.  
Why?! I turned around, trying to ignore his screams.  
"I'm so sorry Delaney! I stepped through the arch and.  
"You are washed clean of what sin you may have done and those done against you. You are washed clean of what crime you may have committed, and those committed against you. You come to us clean in heart and soul."  
I did not know if I could go through another arch. My brother was the most important thing in my life. I was escorted to the next arch.  
"The second time is for what is. The way will come but once be steadfast."  
Slowly I stepped through the arch. I was surrounded by light. 


	2. Arch 2

I was in a white room; it was my novice room. My bed was gone. "Why does she always do that? She always tries to show off and ruins the whole class." I turned around to face Amethyst. She was sitting on a stool. Suddenly there was a pound at the door. I opened it to find a warder. "Come with me," he said. I was walking down the hall when a cold chill went through me. There was something wrong. The way will come but once. Be steadfast. "Where are you taking me?" I asked. "Tomlin wants you," the warder said with that stony face. 'Tomlin al'Mae, my one and only love. What would he want with me now?' We came upon the huge intricately carved doors. The warder opened them. There was a red Tearien rug with gold scrolls on it covering the polished wood floor. I loved going into this room. It always made me feel like a high lord. "Thank you Tamar, you may leave now" Tomlin said. The warder closed the door behind him. "Allison, please sit down. I had to call you here. I have a very important question to ask you. I saw Phillian walking down the street today. She had a horrible look on her face, like something was wrong. I was walking toward her when she started running down the street. I couldn't keep up with her," he said "Where were you?" I asked The way will come but once. Be steadfast. "I was in front of The Aes Sedei's Trust Inn. Anyway, I brought you here to ask you if you have talked to her. I can't imagine how she can suffer any more than what already has," he said. "I was talking to Amethyst before I came here. I think that she was talking about Phillian. She said something about her ruining a class," I told him. He had a serious look on his face; in deep thought. I wondered what was going through his head. "I.. I heard about an accident...in a class today. I didn't know who did it. I was told what had happened, but I can't remember. I know that it was a horrible accident though. I hope that it wasn't.," Tomlin was interrupted. Someone had barged through the door. It was Phillian. "I...I'm sorry. I don't know where else to go. Nobody can trust me anymore. Everybody hates me. I can't live like this! The only thing that I could think of was to be stilled. It would be better for everyone. Please Tomlin; I want you to tell the Amyrlin that I have done something..something so horrible that I should be stilled. Please Tom," she pleaded. "No, you know that I could not do that! I would not ever do that. You are a great novice and one day you will become a great Aes Sedai. I will not do such a thing!" Tom said. The way will come but once. Be steadfast. "The hour is late. Go and sleep for you will feel better tomorrow, in the morning." he said. "No! I won't! I need you to do the favor for me. I. I ." "Please excuse me Tomlin, but Edward needs you," a warder said as he came into the room. "I will be right out. Phillian, I will talk to you tomorrow, but I have to go now. Allison thank you for your assistance I will talk to you later also. Goodbye" Tomlin said as he was leaving. Tom left me and Phillian alone in the room. "I can't live like this Allison. You even hate me. I can't!" she said as she opened the door. The way will come but once. Be steadfast. A golden arch appeared in front of me. Phillian climbed up onto the window ledge. She was going to jump. "Phillian I don't hate you. Nobody hates you! You just act oddly sometimes. You shouldn't do this, Phillian...." I said. The way will come but once. Be steadfast. I took one step toward her. 'I know that I can help her.I have to help her. She doesn't need to have this horrible fate. I can help her.' Before I knew it, I started to cry. I couldn't just leave her here to die. I have to help her. I closed my eyes and took a step forward into the arch. I was engulfed in light. I was back in the real world.  
  
"You are washed clean of false pride. You are washed clean of false ambition. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul," a dark haired Aes Sedai said as she poured cold water over her. 


	3. The Last Arch

A/N- Sorry about the format about the other chapter! I didn't mean for it to be like that. Sorry!  
  
"The third is for what will be. The way will come but once. Be steadfast," the red sister stated.  
  
I slowly walked toward the arch. I tried to calm myself; I was jumping in my skin. I did not know what to do. When I pushed myself through the arch, I was surrounded in light. I could not breath, I ......  
  
The way will come but once. Be steadfast.  
  
I was in a palace. Well, it looked light a palace from what I could see. It had marble floors with lamps on the wall what looked like a hall. It was dark; the lamps barely gave off any light. I could barely see anything. I heard breathing behind me, deep long, loud breaths. I turned around slowly. There was no one there. I could still hear the breathing behind me. I turned around quickly to find a child. He was giggling. He had short brown hair and was wearing a long white robe. He suddenly jumped into my arms and hugged me.  
  
"Where have you been? I have missed you so much" he said like he had always known me.  
  
"Hello," I said looking confused.  
  
"Well, where have you been?" he repeated.  
  
He jumped down out of my grasp and started leading me down the hall. As we went along, the lights became brighter and I was able to see where I was.  
  
The walls were white, and had carved figures on them. They looked like they were dancing. I must have been delirious. I looked up and saw what looked like tiles. They were every color imaginable. Suddenly, I felt something poking my leg. I looked down. It was the little boy.  
  
"Why did you stop?" he asked.  
  
"What did you say your name was?" I asked.  
  
"My name is Alex you silly" he said as if I was suppose to know.  
  
He started to tug on my dress, so I followed him. The hall seemed to go forever when I saw something different on the wall. It was a big painting of a queen, or what seemed to be. She wore a green dress with gold trim and a wide gold stripe down the middle of it. Her hair was blonde and pinned up into a bun. She looked oddly familiar. She was very young, too young to be a queen and wore a necklace that resembled the one I wore.  
  
The way will come but once. Be steadfast.  
  
The little boy was staring at the marvelous picture as if he had never seen it before in his life. He looked lifeless, staring wide eyes and his mouth wide open. I shook him. He soon realized what he was doing and turned a symbol around that I thought was carved in the frame. Suddenly, the painting swung into a cellar type hallway. The little boy told me to hurry. So I jumped into it. The walls looked wet. I was walking and soon slipped because the floor was slimy too.  
  
"Hurry" he said, "you don't want to be late for the party."  
  
"What party are we going to?" I asked.  
  
"The Lord Godwin and Lady Celia's party" he said, "You invited me to come, thank goodness."  
  
"Who are Lord Godwin and Lady Celia?" I said inquisitively.  
  
"Your sister and her husband," he said. "Your sister does not like me. She disagrees with your liking of my brother. What do you think? I think that she hates me. They never have liked me."  
  
"I...I don't know."  
  
I felt awkward. I did not know this little boy, and yet we were best friends. He spoke of my sister. I knew my mother was pregnant, yet I did not know that it was a girl, or how soon she was coming. I would love to meet her.  
  
The way will come but once. Be steadfast.  
  
We came upon a hard metal door. It had very thin, tall spicks on it. The little boy knocked on the wall next to the door. A big, muscular man opened the door and quickly bowed when he put his eyes on us.  
  
"Rise" Alex said, "Take us to Lady Celia."  
  
"Yes sir" the doorman said.  
  
The big man turned around and led us through many doorways and halls. After a long walk, we came upon a big door with a symbol on it, the same symbol as my necklace. I suddenly remembered that I had received the necklace before I left for Tar Valon. The painting I saw must have been my sister. The doorman went next to the door and turned a symbol that looked like the one Alex had turned earlier. The door slowly opened. The man led us into the huge round room. There was a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It was the biggest one I had ever seen. The walls moved, like the ones outside, but the figures were much bigger. They were, also, seemed to be talking, yet no sound came from them.  
  
As soon as we walked in, Alex bowed down. I was too interested in the walls to notice. When I finally was done looking at the walls, I looked straight ahead to see the lady in the picture sitting on a throne. She stood up and walked toward me.  
  
The way will come but once. Be steadfast.  
  
"Admiring the walls Allison?" she asked.  
  
"They are very intricate."  
  
"I know. I was not expecting you. It is surprising that you even showed up." She said.  
  
"Why was it so surprising?" I asked.  
  
"Godwin, come please." She said.  
  
From behind the throne of Celia, Tomlin al'Mae walked out. That is Tomlin, not Godwin.  
  
"Tomlin!" I screamed.  
  
"Do not call him that! That is no longer his name. He is Lord Godwin, my husband," she said fiercely.  
  
The words shattered my heart. The one man that I had ever loved since my childhood married my sister. We were the perfect match. He loved me, or at least that is what he told me. I started to cry. He had betrayed what I thought was love.  
  
"What is the matter Allison?" she asked.  
  
The way will come but once. Be steadfast.  
  
I did not answer, instead I ran, ran as fast as I could away from Tomlin, and my wicked sister. I ran and ran until I was in an unfamiliar room. I sat down against the door and cried.  
  
A knock came upon the door. I did not say anything. Suddenly, the door was pushed open, throwing me on the floor. I quickly stood up, wiping the tears from my face. The person that came through the door was Tomlin.  
  
"Why are you here? Why did you lie to me? Why did you marry my sister?" I asked.  
  
"Allison, I missed you. I love you too. I did not want to marry your sister. She was not the right one for me, you are. I want you to marry me. I did not choose to marry her. My father and my mother arranged it for me. I disagreed the whole time please come with me and marry me. I can arrange it; I know that I can. I really love you Allison. I want to spend that rest of my life with you. Allison, please marry me. This is my proposal. Allison..."he said.  
  
The way will come but once. Be steadfast.  
  
"I love you too Tomlin." I said.  
  
A golden arch appeared beside me. I did not want to leave Tom. I was not going to. I could not leave him. He really did love me and I loved him. It was the truest love it could ever be.  
  
The way will come but once. Be steadfast.  
  
"Allison, come with me. I will go tell the news to my wife, or my old wife. Thank goodness that you came. I could not imagine a day without you." He said smiling.  
  
The way will come but once. Be steadfast.  
  
"No, no. I..." I said.  
  
I started to back up; tears were running down my face. I could not break his heart like this. I could not live knowing that I left him here, but I have to become an Aes Sedai. I have to go on with my life. Tears were running faster down my face.  
  
"Allison, where are you..." the last words I heard him say.  
  
I suddenly felt cold water coming down on me. They could not tell I was crying. I am forever scared from this event. The Amyrlin was there, smiling at her.  
  
"You are washed clean, Allison Mayara of Kandor. You are washed clean of all ties that bind you to the world. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul. You are Allison Mayara, Accepted of the White Tower. You are sealed to us, now." I heard her say. 


End file.
